


A Cliche Love Story

by cats_pajamies



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Past Roman/Deceit, Will I ever complete this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-02 22:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15805992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cats_pajamies/pseuds/cats_pajamies
Summary: Roman loves cliches. Virgil is a secret hopeless romantic. They’re both in for a ride when Roman’s boyfriend dumps him right outside of the homecoming dance. What will our two favorite idiots discover about themselves and each other in the cliche-filled love story?





	1. Chapter 1

“Tell me a love story,” **  
**

“A happy one?”

“The one of you and dad.”

“That’s not the happiest one”

“It’s my favorite though”

“Ok, I meet him during my junior year”

* * *

 

The ground was cold beneath him. The tears running down his face were hot. The sounds of the dance were muffled. The sound of his heartbeat was loud and clear. He took a couple of shuddering breaths as he tried not to think about what just happened, but trying does not always equal succeeding and he thought about it.

“I’m sorry, Roman, but I’m not going to walk in there and pretend that we’re just friends,” Only a few words and Roman’s entire world was off kilter.

Roman begged, “Dee, wait, please. This is important to me,” trying to stop his boyfriend from breaking up with him right before the Homecoming dance.

“This is a you problem now. I’m out. I don’t care if this is important to you because if I was important to you then you would tell everyone at the dumb dance that we were dating,” Dee argued with a sneer on his face.

“Were?” Roman asked, his voice sounding small.

Dee laughed, “Yes, were. I’m not going to be your dirty little secret anymore.”

Roman ran his hand through his hair, “You know I’m not out yet,” he replied.

“And it doesn’t seem like you’re ever going to be out,” Dee hissed, walking away.

Roman reached for Dee, but he was too late, Dee was gone, and he had been gone for a long time.

Roman was so lost in thought he didn’t hear the car pull up, or the driver getting out and walk toward him. A gentle hand touched his shoulder, making Roman jump a bit.

“Sorry! I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You just you know, sitting in the parking lot crying and that kinda, worrisome. Sorry, you probably don’t want to be bothered. I’ll just go,” A familiar voice babbled.

“Wait! Don’t go, please,” Roman sniffled as he turned around to see who his white knight was, “Virgil?”

“Oh, hey Roman. This is awkward,” Virgil muttered, refusing to meet Roman’s eyes.

Roman tried to smile, “Hi, I didn’t take you for the school dance type. You look nice though,” He said unsure of what to do now that Virgil Stein had seen him crying.

Virgil returned Roman’s smile and responded, “Yeah, well, my friends told me to go. Also, you look handsome as always.”

Roman blushed a little, unused to such earnest compliments. “Thanks, that actually makes this shitty night a little better,”

Virgil shrugged, “I try,” there was a brief pause before Virgil asked, “If you don’t mind, what made tonight shitty?”

“Well, my boyfriend just broke up with me?” Roman said shyly, although it came out like more of a question.

“What an asshole,” Virgil commented with a sour look on his face.

“Yeah, and to make it even worse, I was going to come out to my friends, but I kinda want a date, so they don’t try setting me up with their gay cousins and doing all of that.” Roman continued emboldened by how nonchalant Virgil was.

There was a heavy pause that seemed to last for an eternity before Virgil suggested, “I could be your boyfriend.”

“What?” Roman practically screamed because of how shocked he was.

Virgil held up his hands in front of him. “Sorry, I-I-I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that like you could tell your friends we were dating. You know like in movies and shit. Though I guess movies aren’t the best reference point. Just forget about it,” He said, stumbling over almost every word.

“No, wait, that might actually work,” Roman said slowly as a plan started to form in his head.

Virgil blinked and asked, “Really?”

“Yes, really. I mean it makes sense, we have a history, you’re actually out, and I’m obviously your type,” Roman answered, a grin starting to spread across his face.

“Ok, well you’re everyone’s type, so like chill on that front, but also like don’t we need a story about how this began?” Virgil replied, gesturing between them when he said this.

Roman nodded and said, “Of course we do, but it’s simple. I texted you about school or something, and we started talking and one thing leads to another.”

“Wow, I didn’t think you would come up with such a simple cover story,” Virgil teased, his shoulders relaxing a little bit.

Roman smiled and retorted, “A good actor knows when simple is better.” The mood quickly shifted to something more serious as Roman asked, “So, are you in?”

Virgil swallowed nervously before answering, “Come on darling, we have a dance to attended.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to I'm Coming Out-Diana Ross while reading.

The dance was loud. It was also crowded and Roman wondered if this was really the time or place to come out. He was just about to turn around and leave when Virgil squeezed his hand and gave him a subtle smile. Roman took a deep breath and plunged into the crowd.

After a few moments of searching, he found his best friend, Remy. “Heyyyyy,” he drawled sounding like he was about to fall asleep, but he always sounds like that so Roman didn’t worry too much.

“Hi, Rem! This is my boyfriend,” Roman replied hating how fake his voice sounding at that moment.

To Remmy’s credit he didn’t call Roman out on how fake he sounded, but he did give Virgil a once over and say, “Really, him? Ro, baby, you can do a hell of a lot better.”

And to Virgil’s credit, he didn’t pick a fight, instead, he leaned into Roman and agreed, “I know right? Like, common, anyone can do better than me,” really playing it up.

Remmy burst out laughing, “Ya know what, I like him. Might just have to steal him from you.”

“How dare! That’s homophobic!” Roman said, trying to sound offended, but his own laughter was betraying him.

Virgil was trying to ignore what was happening, but couldn’t help but tease, “Roman, darling, light of my life, I think I just found my soulmate. I will always love you, but my soul cries out for another.”

Roman laughed even harder as Remmy groaned, “I’m going to commit a felony. Did you have to find the one other person who was a dramatic as you?”

“Remmy, I’ve only known you for 5 seconds, but I can already tell you’re more dramatic than me,” Virgil retorted, smiling harder than he had in a while.

“Fuck you!” Remmy yelled while flipping Virgil off.

Virgil grinned wickedly before saying in the sultriest tone he could muster, “Please do.”

While all of this was happening Roman was thinking about how well this was going, and how he hoped this would go when Virgil meet his parents, when it hit him-he never figured out how long this would last, and what sort of rules there should be, with Virgil. What if Virgil thought this would only be for tonight, and then never talk to him again. Even though they had practically just met Roman knew that he wanted to at least still be friends Virgil, if not more.

When he thought about something more with Virgil, Roman shook his head, as if to clear away those thoughts, and chided himself about falling back into bad habits. “You can’t obsess over every guy who even looks at you,” He thought to himself, before glancing over at Virgil, and seeing such a stunning smile, Roman was sure that he had breathed for a second.

“Fuck,” he whispered, and he thought he was being quiet, but apparently he wasn’t.

When Virgil heard Roman whisper fuck, he turned to him and said, “Anytime you want.” He was too caught up in the moment to even think about what he was saying until it was too late. The moment Virgil realized what he had said, his face burst into flames.

Remmy snorted, “You look like a tomato, god, Y'all are too cute. Makes me almost wish I was interested in all that stuff,”

“Wait, what?” Roman asked, a little confused, and a little more than relieved to be able to change the subject.

Remmy paled a little as he said, “Well, considering you brought your boyfriend to the dance, I’m assuming you’re not straight, and because you’re not straight, I’m assuming that you would be fine with the fact that I’m aromantic, and asexual.”

Roman took a moment to process the information before assuring Remmy, “You’re right, I’m completely fine with you being aro-ace, I’m even proud of you for coming out. You’re also right that I’m not straight, if we’re labeling things, then I’m gay.”

The moment he finished talking a tension that Roman had been carrying since he was 13 years old lifted from his shoulders, and he almost burst into tears. It just felt so good, to take one of the first steps to living life as true to him as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

Nothing of interest really happened for the rest of the dance. Virgil and Roman danced, laughed, and had a pretty fun night, even if it had stated of pretty badly. As the DJ played the last song, both of them realized that they didn’t want the night to end just yet.

“Hey, do you wanna get a bite to eat?” Roman asked as they were walking out of the dance.

Virgil smiled a bit and replied, “Sure, do you have a place in mind?”

Roman thought for a second before suggesting, “George’s? I really love their omelets.”

“Chill, I think one of my friends is working there tonight,” Virgil comments, checking the time on his phone.

“You have friends?” Roman teases, bumping his shoulder into Virgil, the cool night air and the street lights relaxing him.

Virgil glances over at Roman and says, “I know, I was surprised too.”

Roman chuckles a tad bit as he hops into the passenger side of Virgil’s van. “Ya know, tonight went better than expected.”

“Even with that asshat breaking up with you?” Virgil asked, before realizing that Roman probably didn’t want to talk about it.

There were several moments of silence before Roman softly answered, “Yeah, it was. I might love Dee, but he isn’t really someone I should be in love with. If you get what I mean?”

The stoplight turned to red and Virgil looked at Roman with so much feeling in those stunning grey eyes, Roman was certain he forgot how to breathe. “Yeah...I do,” he whispered just as the light turned green.

They were silent for the rest of the ride, but it wasn’t an awkward silence, it was the silence of two people who had known each other long enough where they were comfortable just being in each others presence.

When they pulled up into the restaurant’s parking lot Roman asked, “Have you ever gone bowling at the place next door?” gesturing to the bowling alley that was right next to George’s.

“Hell no, it’s super shady and you know it. I’m 99% sure they’re the reason the other bowling alley in town kept burning down,” Virgil answers, sounding a little like a tin foil hat wearing late-night conspiracy theorist.

Roman burst out laughing, “Virge, ya know that that bowling alley kept burning down because of the insurance, right?”

“No way, Strike and Spare wanted a bowling monopoly, so they took out the competition,” Virgil argued, the conversation continues as they walked into the restaurant.

The hostess greeted them, “Hello! Is it only the two of you?” there was a pause as they actually looked at the pair. “Oh, hey Virgil. Want me to tell Logan you’re here?”

Virgil followed the hostess to their seats and answered, “That would be great Elliot. Thanks.”

As the two sat down Roman asked, “Logan? The student body president? That’s your friend who works here?” sounding a little betrayed.

Just then a voice said, “That is me. I do work here, and I would call Virgil a friend. If I remember correctly you are Roman.”

Virgil jumped at the unexpected appearance of Logan. “Dude, warn a guy when you’re just gonna appear out of nowhere like that,” he scolded, only joking a little bit.

“Apologizes, I will start to wear a bell if that puts you at ease,” Logan said so seriously that for a second no one could tell if he was joking.

Virgil muttered, “Dick.”

“I know. I’m also still on the clock, so I am legally obligated to ask ‘Do you know what you want?’” Logan replied his voice monotone and bored sounding.

Both Roman and Virgil placed their orders and continue to chat about nothing of real importance until their food arrived.

The moment Roman saw the club sandwich, he asked, “How the fuck am I supposed to eat that? Should I unhinge my jaw like a snake?”

Virgil choked on his drink and answered, “Just separate it into manageable pieces, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is a big deal! Whom the fuck makes a sandwich where the only way to eat it is to deconstruct it?” Roman argued, waving his arms around dramatically.

Virgil rolled his eyes as he dryly replied, “A madman who is clearly out to get you. Now shut up and eat.” Roman sighed but did as he told, though he did look outraged everytime he had to deconstruct his sandwich.

Near the end of their meal, Logan came over to talk to Virgil, clearly ignoring Roman. “How was your night?” he asked, sounding like that wasn’t really what he was wondering about.

“Ummm….it was cool. I went to the dance with Roman,” Virgil replied, suddenly sounding very nervous.

Logan repeated him, “You went to the dance with Roman?” sounding shocked.

Virgil growled, “Don’t say shit,” glaring at Logan, and refusing to look at Roman.

“I was not going to,” Logan replied, raising his hands.

Tension left Virgil’s shoulders as he said, “Cool, also Patton was upset you didn’t come.”

“He knows that I am not one for school activities,” Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“He just wanted to spend time with you,” Virgil retorted as he and Roman paid and started to leave.

Logan looked around before promising, “I will talk to him tomorrow.”

* * *

Roman and Virgil drove home in silence after that, both of them tired, but as Virgil dropped Roman off at his house he said, “We need to talk about rules.”


End file.
